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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166912">Firsts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emu_Mosh_Veteran/pseuds/Emu_Mosh_Veteran'>Emu_Mosh_Veteran</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Lottery of Consequences [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Blaseball (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Some Swearing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:55:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,596</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166912</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emu_Mosh_Veteran/pseuds/Emu_Mosh_Veteran</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaylen takes NaN to see a piece of Garages history.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Lottery of Consequences [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924867</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Firsts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Is this it?"</p><p>Jaylen grinned a little as the person behind her asked the question for what seemed like the third time in as many minutes. It wasn't annoying her at all though, she could feel just how curious and excited they were, almost emanating in physical waves off them. It was infectious, and helped Jaylen grin a little wider as they turned a corner sharply, the fellow Lovers player gripping hard on the back seat of her Harley to keep from toppling off. They were in Seattle, one of the warehouse districts near the port, and Jaylen was searching for a place that she was sure she could remember like it was yesterday.</p><p> </p><p>NaN might as well have been vibrating, the excitement of being in the city so thrilling. He'd barely believed his ears when Knight Triumphant had told him to take the weekend off, and having Jaylen Hotdogfingers, one of the most storied players in the league, invite him on a trip to the home of the Garages, of Mike Townsend? He'd definitely grown some in the seasons he'd been in the league, but deep down inside of him still held the heart of a rookie player, fresh on the field, gawking a little at the world around him. He'd never really had the chance to explore Seattle like some people had, team schedules whenever the was there just not allowing enough time outside of official outings. Now he was here and had the weekend to do whatever he liked, or just plain hang out with Jaylen. And Jaylens motorcycle! His fingers hadn't stopped tingling the moment he'd grabbed hold, and he wasn't sure if it was the excitement from exploring the city or if he was stimming inadvertently from the engine vibrations, but he <em>liked</em> it.</p><p> </p><p>"No, not yet NaN, but I'm pretty sure we're close!"</p><p> </p><p>Jaylen had promised to show him something really cool, an old project of the Garages they never seemed able to get around to finishing or something like that. Some sort of secret Garages project to help them fight gods or the peanut or something? NaN was in like Flynn, happily drumming his hands away against the engine vibrations. They pulled around another corner then, revealing a graffiti covered warehouse sitting squat in an industrial park by itself. NaN grinned to himself, a little giddy with excitement as he stood up on the rear rider spurs and pointed it out.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh man that's gotta be it! It's got Garages written all over it! Literally!" That got a laugh out of Jaylen as they rolled past and came to a stop in front of a smaller, less conspicuous workshop beside it. They got off and walked over, NaN flicking his hands a bit as the pleasant tingling ebbed away. NaN looked to the side, raising an eyebrow at the former Garages pitcher. "So it's not that one then?"</p><p> </p><p>"That's right, we just use that as camouflage. Maskirovka Ron called it one time. Just in case someone came snooping. Garages don't really worry too much about that lately though." Jaylen nodded as she opened the door with the key that Ollie Mueller had lent her for the weekend.</p><p> </p><p>"That's so cool." the Lovers hitter replied, eyes a little wide.</p><p> </p><p>"Kinda, yeah."</p><p> </p><p>As they made their way in and NaN stopped stimming for a bit, the younger player cleared his throat and spoke up, something he'd clearly been pumping himself up for the entire time they'd traveled to Seattle. Jaylen could swear she'd even heard him practicing in the hotel bathroom. She hadn't stopped to eavesdrop, but the kid making the effort really warmed her heart, so she tried not to look too expectant when she looked at him.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey, Jaylen, can I ask you something?"</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah NaN?"</p><p> </p><p>"Are you doing ok after. . . well, everything? I know you've been taking it easy lately, but I just wanted to check in I guess?" </p><p> </p><p>"Heh, honestly NaN, you just asking that helps out alot. As for the rest, well. . . " She thought about it for a minute as they entered the main workshop area. She really liked NaN, he was always there to help out another player, honest as Abe and had energy like a Golden Retriever to boot, that alone would make anyone feel like protecting him. But she'd also been under the thumb of a God herself, and while she wasn't at all sure what the deal was between NaN and the Microphone, she wasn't gonna let another player get used like she was ever again, not if she could stop it. She stopped then, turning to face the kid. "Things have definitely been rough. I've had to do things I never wanted to do, didn't even have control over what I wanted to do for most of that, and what I've seen. . . what we've all seen. It's not going to be easy for alot of us." She thought about the players that had been freed from the pods, about what they must be going through, and made a mental note in her head to make a call or two. "But it's like everyone always says, we're all blaseball. We'll take care of each other and get through to the other side, so long as we keep caring. So thanks NaN, I really appreciate you asking."</p><p> </p><p>NaN beamed at that. "No worries Jaylen! Just happy to help out. So um, what did you want to show me anyway?"</p><p> </p><p>Jaylen stepped up to a large object hidden under a tarp grabbing hold and yanking it away. NaN gasped, eyes widening and hands flapping as excitement as he saw what was under it. He'd definitely heard of it, who hadn't?! But to see it here, in front of him, in the real and able to touch it?</p><p> </p><p>"Is that . . . is it really?"</p><p> </p><p>"Oh yeah NaN, it is."</p><p> </p><p>"OHMYGOSH THAT'S REALLY MIKE'S CAMRY?" There was no way it was! Allison Abbott had smashed it up for charity or something!!</p><p> </p><p>Something clattered behind them, and both Jaylen and NaN whirled about to see. . . "</p><p> </p><p>"MIKE TOWNSEND!?!?!"</p><p> </p><p>Mike blushed sheepishly, he'd been trying to sneak around into the little kitchen and lounge area he'd insisted be put into the workshop if people were going to spend whole weekends here working on stuff. "Jeez, real sorry Jaylen, didn't mean to spook you and NaN there."</p><p> </p><p>Jaylen started to say something amused in reply, but then she noticed that NaN was flapping his hands furiously now, way faster than she'd ever seen him do it before, and he was blushing hard and almost looked like they were hyperventilating try to say something, looking between her and Mike, almost like he was embarrassed? She started to say something, but Mike got there first.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey NaN buddy, it's cool. Heard alot about you from my friends, figured we should meet up some time. You want to see something cool, picked it up the other day and been dying to show someone." As Mike spoke he pulled out a great big lump of something from a coat pocket, squeezing it and pulling it apart in front of the flustered batter.</p><p> </p><p>Nan was just barely following as Mike spoke, the sudden appearance of Mike's Camry then MIKE himself was just a bit too much too fast. He tried saying something about it all but his throat felt like it just kept glitching out and it just felt like he kept getting worked up more and more. Then Mike showed him that ball. NaN slowly took some big gulps of air as he watched, a small smile forming as Mike pushed the ball together and smooshed it all the way through his fingers with a grin of his own. "O. . Ok, that's r. . really neat." He finally managed to get out, hands still flapping but not as hard anymore.</p><p> </p><p>"You wanna try it?"</p><p> </p><p>"Can I?!"</p><p> </p><p>"Sure." Mike held out the silly putty to NaN, and the batter took hold of it with a laugh as they pulled it apart and wobbled it a bit.</p><p> </p><p>"I've been stretching it for ages, and it just seems to keep going, and it really does just stick to the skin." Mike said excitedly, pleased to finally be sharing just how cool this toy was with someone. "Also, try pressing it together real tight!"</p><p> </p><p>Nan did, grinning wide as he felt something in the putty crunch and grind inside itself and against his palms. "Oh Wow, that's so Neat!! Where you get it?"</p><p> </p><p>"Just down the main street, a new store opened up with all this sort of stuff, I can take you there if you want to grab one yourself."</p><p> </p><p>"Oh yeah that'd be cool as hell." NaN crunched and pulled the putty for a bit, before something clicked in his head and he slowly looked up at Mike. "Wait. . . " He looked down at the putty, then at Mike again. "Are you. . ?"</p><p> </p><p>Mike grinned and nodded. "I really like baking, the way the dough gets between your fingers or grinding the flour together."</p><p> </p><p>Jaylen had stood back by now, leaning against the door frame of the common area, smiling to herself as the two hit it off.</p><p> </p><p>She had to admit, watching as Mike started showing off his old Camry as NaN stretched the putty as far as he could, it really was a shame that no one hadn't introduced them to each other sooner.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey Jaylen, Mike says he's gonna show me how to make pizza dough!!"</p><p> </p><p>"Hell yeah NaN, that sounds like a good time for all."</p>
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